Redemption
by ValerieGrace
Summary: He's used to getting what he's always wanted but now he's forced to deal when he's constantly denied, and the one girl he's ever cared about is completely off limits. TxG
1. Prologue

Hello everyone!

If you're someone who is reading my other story, In Your Eyes, then you'll know that I've mentioned that I had an idea for another story.

This will be extremely different than anything I've ever written.

Hopefully you'll give it a chance.

**-This is a prologue-**

I don't know when I'll have the first chapter up of this story.

I might wait until In Your Eyes is finished, or I'll be writing them both at the same time.

I haven't decided yet.

Maybe your reaction to this could help me decide.

Reviews would be highly appreciated.

So... here's the prologue for my new story, **Redemption**

**Disclaimer **I don't own any of Disney's characters

* * *

He'd always been an excellent poker player, always knowing exactly when to fold his cards or risk it by going all in. He was also great at finding ways to cheat, a professional card counter.

So there was no doubt that Troy Bolton knew when someone was calling a bluff.

The word _expulsion _was a foreign word, an impossible scenario when it came to Troy's case.

He had a reputation to uphold, no matter who protested against it.

He was West High's jock on court to please his father while off court he was the one who was known for rebelling.

Sometimes Jack Bolton wished he had a daughter.

Oh, how much easier it would be.

Instead, he had his son pegged as the town's "bad ass" , the one that young kids would whisper about behind dumpsters, the one who had rumors flying left and right about him.

People say that he'd taken down every player on East High's basketball team, even when one had drawn a knife. That explained why there was a scar that girls swooned over, right above his right eye.

In reality, Troy had fallen off his bike when he was only six.

Troy was _legendary_.

He didn't inherit his fighter habits, that Jack knew.

No one could explain the mystery that was Troy Bolton.

But Troy heard the hurtful words murmured by people whenever he walked by. They were always judging, wondering where a once sweet and caring boy had gotten all this anger from.

"He died along with his brother five years ago," The old man who stopped occasionally to talk to one of his neighbors said with a nod, voicing what everyone else thought about Troy, not knowing that Troy had heard every word.

_Nate Bolton_. He was every parent's dream. With skyrocketing grades, Nate passed all of his classes with the snap of his fingers. Intelligence had came easy for the older Bolton.

As if his wits weren't enough, Nate had been blessed with a strong arm, securing his spot as quarterback on West High's football team. He'd received a full ride to college because of that arm and after the summer of 2003, he would've attended school at the University of Albuquerque.

That very summer the Bolton's lives were altered significantly when Tricia Bolton received the call that her oldest son was involved in a fatal car accident. A reckless drunk driver had blown a red light, catching Nate Bolton off guard and ending his prestigious life.

Now, five years later, Troy had never recovered from losing his older brother, his hero. No one had gotten over Nate's death, but everyone else coped with the pain.

Troy drank his sorrows away and fought his anger with his strong fists.

Fortunately, Troy did have one thing in his favor.

Most of West High worshipped him.

He was their star athlete, captain of the basketball team that his father coached. Troy's aggression showed on and off court.

When it came to girls, Troy broke hearts. He wasn't interested in having relationships. All he wanted was to be satisfied. He would make it clear to a girl when he was finished with her.

Besides, Troy didn't believe in love.

"What happened to my son?" Tricia asked, wiping at the unshed tears that lingered in her eyes. She feared for him. She didn't know where she had gone wrong as a parent. She felt as though she had failed miserably.

Troy shrugged as his mother pulled her car into West High's parking lot. There was a meeting being held at this very moment, deciding Troy's future.

He'd been warned multiple times about his incessant fighting on school grounds. Usually Jack Bolton, who was well respected at the high school, could pull a few strings to keep Troy out of trouble.

Now, sitting in the lobby of the high school, Tricia's body trembled, hoping for the best fate for her seventeen-year-old son.

Jack Bolton exited the main office where the meeting was being held, his head shaking with disappointment.

"What?" Tricia dared to ask her husband.

"He's been expelled."

"What?" Troy asked, shocked. Honestly, he had thought that this was just another false alarm, a small setback with the principal. Expulsion wasn't in his vocabulary. He was the king of West High. How was it even possible that they could expel him? Had he any power at all?

"This has happened one too many times," Jack stated. "This is unfixable."

"Fucking Danforth," Troy cursed under his breath. There was no one he hated more than Chad Danforth, captain of his rival school's basketball team. Two nights previous, East High had lost against West High by only two points, the winning basket scored by Troy.

Chad Danforth was known for running his mouth and when the two boys met outside of the locker rooms…well, Troy Bolton was known for talking with his fists.

It was like any other fight he'd been involved in. He didn't know what made this one so different, what had made Principal Burns finally draw the line.

Maybe now he could finally drop out of school, Troy thought hopefully.

"What does that mean, Jack?" Tricia allowed a tear to slide down her cheek. What was going to become of her baby?

"What option to we have? Trish, we have to enroll him at East High."

Troy stopped breathing, clenching his fists together repeatedly, feeling as if he'd misheard his father. East High was what had gotten him into this mess.

He hated Chad Danforth, Zeke Baylor, and Jason Cross. No, he hated the entire school. There would be no way that he would attend classes there. Not now, not ever.

"There's no fucking way," Troy said calmly.

"Language," Jack hissed. "You don't have a choice."

"Can't you pull some kind of stunt to keep me here, or have you got no control at all," Troy tested. He knew he was on thin ice but _East High_? Never. He refused.

"From the looks of it, it seems like you're the one with no control."

"Ship me off to some other country. I'll walk through the doors of East High when hell freezes over," Troy stated smugly.

"Did you hear that, Trish?" Jack asked lightly, trying to cheer up his broken wife.

She shook her head, wiping at her tears.

"I think the temperature in hell just dropped drastically."

"You'd fucking know."

"Language," Jack warned his son for the second time. Troy rolled his eyes. It was unnecessary for him to be there. He couldn't care less about what school he went to, as long as it wasn't East High.

Tricia bit her bottom lip, almost laughing at her husband's ability to make light of every tough situation. She loved him for it. "Actually, I think I heard that, too."

"What? Mom, you're going to the dark side," Troy said, refusing to plead. He was Troy Bolton, he did not plead for anyone. "Listen to me…"

He was trying to grasp something that couldn't be touched. His future had been already decided for him. It was like the entire meeting was premeditated.

"I'll make a few calls," Jack said, ending the conversation.

"Mom, do something. I can just picture it. They wouldn't be welcoming me to East High, they'd be welcoming me to hell."

"East High is what's best."

"You wouldn't know what's best if it bit you in the ass."

Tricia frowned. "What was that?"

Troy groaned. Even though he didn't give a damn, he still felt like he owed his mother some sense of respect. She'd been through plenty and he didn't want to make anything worse for her. "I guess I'll have to get used to the new class?"


	2. End of Discussion

This is the first chapter, review please. **:)**

**End of Discussion**

He never backed down from a challenge. Ever since he was in the sixth grade he'd never step down from a challenge. He'd been at the local park where he'd ran into Chad Danforth and Zeke Baylor when they'd challenged him to a game of basketball. They said that they'd be fair, making the game one on one but he'd convinced them that he could take them both. And he had, only as a twelve year old. He was always strong.

So Troy was taking this as a personal challenge.

He figured he had no choice because in reality, he didn't. Jack Bolton had made his final statement. East High.

That was where Troy's future was, both of his parents had made that clear to him more than once, though Troy thought otherwise. But he wasn't going to waste his breath by arguing. It wasn't worth it. Everything would roll over soon and he'd be back in West High where he belonged. This was a minor setback, it'd all be over soon.

When Troy broke the news to his teammates about being expelled, they'd laughed thinking he was just joking around.

Oh, how he wished it was all a prank. He was waiting until Principal Burns approached him, telling it that it was just a cruel joke.

But Principal Burns would not be doing that, not now, not ever.

Trevan, who was the co-captain of West High's basketball team, was ecstatic upon hearing the news. It was as if his prayers had been suddenly answered. He'd been counting down the days until Troy Bolton got his punk ass expelled. Now West High would finally be able to recognize his true talents instead of only being mesmerized by the talented coach's son. Trevan had helped win the games, too. Troy Bolton wasn't the whole team. Trevan would be able to prove that to his school now that Troy was out of the way.

The rest of the team was put into shock. They didn't know that it was possible for Troy Bolton to be expelled. It was like there was some unwritten law against expelling basketball gods.

Doomed. That's what they called themselves. Set up for failure.

Without Troy, they were nothing.

All of West High was taking the news the same way.

Girls had protested. Yes, actually protested outside of Principal Burns office. They wanted him to know how his crucial mistake would effect the school drastically.

"Give Bolton another chance," They had pleaded.

_Chances_.

Troy couldn't even count on both hands how many chances he'd been given. With him, there was a new problem everyday getting him into some kind of trouble. He'd practically been given another chance each passing day that went by.

This he knew, was his last time in West High.

Principal Burns allowed him in the school early before classes started so that he could clean out his locker and turn in his basketball uniform.

Troy stood alone in the middle of the gymnasium floor, his eyes glued to the wall where the basketball uniforms hung of those treasured players. The players that had been top scorers and lead their teams to back to back victories. His father's uniform hung on that wall, an empty space next to it where his would have been or should have been.

He'd screwed up this time, this he knew.

Troy never intended to take things this far, to become this way.

But now he was who he was and there was no turning back. He turned, exiting the gym and retreating to his truck. Tricia had demanded that she drive him to East High for his first day there. That'd be worse than committing suicide, though that idea didn't sound that bad to him. Jack and Tricia thought that Troy would say he was going to school when really he'd go elsewhere.

It wouldn't be the first time he skipped school and didn't return home until the next morning.

Troy wasn't planning on skipping though. When he told his parent's he'd go to West High, clean out his locker then go to his new school, he was being truthful.

He pulled out of West High's parking lot, knowing that he had to let it go.

East High was going to be a living nightmare.

He'd have to embrace it.

After all, Troy never backed down from a challenge.

* * *

"Bolton. Troy Bolton?" The secretary with large beady eyes and thick prescription glasses called from behind her desk. Troy looked up from the carpet on the floor that he pretended he was studying intently. He was sitting in a chair in the main office, waiting for further instruction. The office seemed smaller than the one at West High. It was nicer, even though Troy would never admit that out loud. The pictures that were hung on the walls of the school's many activities made it look like it had a friendly environment.

"Your schedule has been made," She informed him, eyeing him down. She handed it to him when he left his seat, outstretching his hand.

She gave it to him and withdrew her hand quickly, almost as if she were afraid to touch him, like he was toxic or he carried a deadly disease.

Troy smiled smugly, leaning both of his elbows on her desk, loving the scared expression he had evoked from the older woman. His cobalt eyes searched her desk until he found a plaque with her name on it, Mrs. Smith.

See seemed like she was at least ten years older than Jack Bolton when Troy noted the subtle wrinkles around her eyes. Mrs. Smith chewed the inside of her cheek. She was warned about the new 'transfer'.

Of course she heard about him, he was Troy Bolton.

He caught her staring at his scar above his eye as he brought his hand to his chin, propping it up.

"Thank you," He said with a smirk, leaning closer. "I'm Troy Bolton."

"I'm aware, Mr. Bolton. Principal Matsui has asked to see you," Mrs. Smith said, gesturing to the office behind her shoulder.

"It was nice meeting you," He faked his politeness, knowing that all the adults in this school probably knew of his history.

"Mm," She said with a brisk nod, not buying into his act. He laughed lightly, advancing towards Principal Matsui's office which he entered without a knock.

"Ah, Troy Bolton, I've been expecting you," He said, unfazed by Troy's entrance, dropping his pen and pushing aside his papers.

"Really?" Troy asked sarcastically, rubbing he hands together. "Let's get down to business then."

Principal Matsui raised his eyebrows. "I wanted to discuss your situation."

"My situation?" Troy smirked, sitting down on the chair in front of the principal's desk, kicking his feet up on top of it, leaning back with his hands crossed behind his head. "What is it… Jeffery Matsui?" Troy asked after finding the name plate on the principal's desk. "I'll call you Jeff," Troy told him. "There is no situation, despite whatever my dad has told you. Let's just say, I was expelled from my last school. Okay, that is not a situation. That was in the past."

Principal Matsui could have almost laughed at the boy's smugness. "It's Principal Matsui, kid. And yes, I have talked to your father. You've been expelled for your bad habits."

"Bad habits?" Troy said with a snort, leaning closer to the desk. "Is that what they're calling it these days?" He chuckled, dismissing the thought with the wave of his hand. "A Bolton doesn't have any bad habits. The world simply doesn't have tolerance."

Principal Matsui folded his hands, threading his fingers together, trying to maintain patience, he nodded his head. "I guess East High is with the rest of the world on this one. I'll tell you right away, East High will have absolutely no tolerance for you if you continue what you've been doing."

"Jeff, I just said that was in the past."

"And that better be where it stays," The principal informed him, ignoring that Troy had called him Jeff once again.

"What can I say," Troy said with a fake shrug of his shoulders, "I've had a change of heart."

"I'm very well aware of how you were expelled. I know that it involved one of East High's students," He pressed a button on his intercom. "Send him in please," Principal Matsui told Mrs. Smith and Troy tried not to contort his face with confusion.

"Yes, but if you're trying to get me to come clean, well, let's just say I've already brushed the dirt off my fingers," Troy stated. He hated Chad Danforth. That he would never deny but he would never mention that he was the one involved in the fight that had got him expelled. That would be a cowardly move and Troy Bolton was not a coward. He'd rather get back at Chad in his own way.

Speak of the devil, Troy thought when he saw the teenage boy enter the office, his hair looking even bigger than it had the last time he saw him.

Troy kept calm, trying to seem as though he didn't make note of the boy's presence in the room as he took a seat next to Troy.

"No need to come clean, Mr. Bolton. I've been informed prier to this so called meeting. You've been punished for initiating the fight by being expelled. Now I know that Mr. Danforth was involved in your little quarrel," Principal Matsui said, turning his attention to the boy with darker skin. "I was thinking what I could do to make it up to you."

Troy laughed, shaking his head with disbelief. "What are you going to do? Hold him down for me?"

Chad remained deathly silent, wondering if the fear was evident in his brown eyes.

"No, I was thinking about taking a different approach."

"And what might that be, Jeff?" Troy exhaled and rolled his eyes. He thought the deal with the whole fight had ended after he was expelled from West High because of it. Now, in a new school, it was being brought up once again. Troy was through with the whole fiasco.

"I've put you in all of Mr. Danforth's classes."

"You've got to be fucking shitting me," Troy mumbled. He was right all along, this was indeed a nightmare.

"I also think that it would be best, since both of you are in all of the same classes, that Chad was your tour guide for your first week here," Principal Matsui smiled, feeling as if he'd made the right decision while watching the two shocked boys expressions. Chad shifted in his seat uncomfortably.

"I don't need someone to hold my hand, Jeff, I assure you I can manage on my own," Troy stated, standing up and brushing off his pants as if he'd just endured hard labor. "So this was a nice talk? I'll be seeing you soon."

"This isn't a game, Troy," He said while shaking his head at the boys inability to keep his mouth closed. "Chad will help you get to your classes and he will tell you all about East High, end of discussion."


	3. Your Worst Nightmare

**Disclaimer** I don't own any people, places, or things from High School Musical

**Your Worst Nightmare**

Ever since he was little, he never took warnings seriously. Like for instance, if there was a door with a sign on it that clearly said "Do not enter", that only made him want to open it more. It made him more interested in what was behind the door, tempting him to open it.

So whenever someone told Troy that he couldn't or shouldn't do something, he did it anyway.

"Listen Bolton, I don't want to do this any more than you do," Chad said, trying to make the best of the situation.

It was a cruel and unexpected punishment on Principal Matsui's part.

The two boys walked through the crowded hallways easily since the student body parted for them quickly and cautiously, finding the look on Troy's face dangerous.

He'd spent less than an hour in the school and people were already afraid of him…he liked it, no, _loved_ it. If Chad Danforth wasn't by his side he'd feel like he was on top of the world.

But not all of his dreams could come true.

Troy glared in Chad's direction, not even believing how unfortunate his fate was. What had he done to deserve this? He could just imagine his mother waiting for him when he came home from school.

"How was your first day?" She'd ask him as if he was only her little five-year-old again, coming home from his first day kindergarten.

His answer would be much different now though because so far, this day was hell for him.

The halls of the school were bright, sunlight pouring through the large windows. The more Troy saw of the school, he realized there really wasn't a comparison between East and West High. He hated the fact that East High was so much nicer.

But West High was in his blood, and he wouldn't forget that. He'd always remember who he was, where he came from.

Troy glanced at the boy with the afro, his blue eyes becoming dark and almost threatening.

Chad Danforth would pay for what he did. He'd gotten him thrown out of West High, his home. He'd make sure one day that Chad Danforth regretted ever talking to him after that basketball game.

"You don't want to do this? Ha, _you _don't want to do _this_?" Troy spat, repeating himself, feeling his rage take over. So badly he just wanted to give the foolish boy a hard shove into one of the nearby metal lockers.

"How about we start over? We had our past and maybe we should just forget about it, we're going to have to learn to get along if you join the team," Chad tried to negotiate because secretly, he was scared. No one would dare to mess with Troy Bolton alone. He needed the rest of his basketball team if he wanted to pick a fight with Troy.

Troy wasn't buying it. After years of harassing each other, Chad wanted to call it quits? No, nothing was ever that simple.

"Start over? Is this your idea of a fucking peace treaty?" Troy growled. He'd never admit it but Chad had tortured him for years. He always knew the exact words to say to push his buttons. "Well fuck that. And who said anything about me joining the team?"

"I just figured you would-"

"I wouldn't even if I was paid to," Troy said, his voice low. "And I don't come cheap," He told Chad, throwing a wink in the direction of a tall blond who was passing by.

"Good, cause' I didn't want you to join anyway," Chad said with a smirk. "You've got tainted West High blood."

This was what Troy was waiting for. He had been waiting all morning until Chad tried to pick a fight. He clenched his fist, smiling inwardly when he noted that Chad took a small step backwards.

"You're trash," Chad taunted, playing with fire.

When you play with fire, you get burned.

"Don't fuck with me, I'm in no mood," Troy tried to reason with him, giving him a fair chance to drop it instead of adding on to the scene that they would make. He already knew that hundreds of eyes were on them. It was if everyone was expecting something to happen. Troy didn't want to give all of East High what they wanted.

They wanted to see him fail, to become expelled once again. He refused to give them what they wanted, they didn't deserve it.

"What the hell are you doing here anyway? Don't you think you've stepped a little too far out of bounds?"

"Bounds? Like I have fucking boundaries? Screw that," Troy muttered. "I'm here because of your mouth."

Chad laughed. "My mouth or your fist?"

"You're weak. All bark no bite," Troy stated with no emotion in his voice. "You try to pick a fight when you have an audience, but tell me, what do you do when there's no one else around? No one there to chant your name and make you feel like you're actually important? You only want a show and you know what, I'm willing to give you one. Just don't go running to your clones to back you because you're too much of a coward to deal with what you started."

Chad inhaled deeply, his face reddening with anger as his nostrils flared.

Troy had no right talking to him like this on his turf. He was being out of line, Chad thought. No one insulted him in this way. The West High knight had to be knocked down a few steps or better yet, off the steps. Chad didn't want him here, no one did. He wouldn't belong.

Chad was about to reciprocate, prove him wrong, when he heard his name being shouted in the loud and crowded hallway.

"What the fuck are you doing man?!" Zeke Baylor asked, alarmed, wondering what Troy Bolton was doing in East High's main hall with Chad. Something was definitely not right.

"I'm doing what I have to do," Chad told them, trying to calm his nerves, feeling the urge to tackle Troy to the hard hallway floor. He shook off the feeling. "Matsui said that he'd suspend me temporarily from the team if I didn't serve as a tour guide," He said with a shrug, playing it cool, acting as if it were no big deal when really he couldn't stand Troy.

"Is this some kind of joke?" Zeke asked and Jason Cross seemed to appear out of no where, nodding along even though he didn't know what was going on.

"What's a joke?" He asked causing Zeke and Chad to roll their eyes.

"It's the three stooges," Troy commented, leaning against one of the lockers with disinterest. He wanted to get to homeroom and Chad was his ticket there.

"Actually, we prefer the three amigos," Jason said with a friendly smile, flicking the dark almost black hair out of his eyes. "I'm Jason."

"He knows who you are dumbass," Chad said, punching Jason's shoulder. Jason was never the type to be quick on the intake. "And you know who he is. It's Bolton."

"I thought he was someone who just looked a lot like him…"

"Enough messing around," Zeke told them, the darker and taller boy's eyes narrowing on Troy. "You better not think twice about joining the team.."

But Troy's mind was elsewhere. Stunned momentarily, his mouth hung open, his blue eyes following a girl as she passed by. She looked familiar, he knew he had to have seen her before. His eyes scanned her body, slowing down to admire her long legs that shined along with her olive skin. Troy only saw her flawless face for a few seconds before she kept walking, not even acknowledging him. Her long dark brown hair fell right below her shoulder blades, the curls cascading down her back. She was wearing a faded denim shirt, reaching not even to mid thigh along with a tight red t-shirt, leaving him to only imagine what was underneath.

Troy unknowingly licked his lips.

The three 'amigos' followed his gaze, a smirk spreading on Zeke's face.

"If you're thinking about getting with that than you definitely should not think twice about joining the team," Zeke told him with a laugh as Troy shook his head, snapping out of his daze.

"What are you talking about?" Jason asked with a puzzled look on his face.

"Yeah, what are you talking about?" Troy added with curiosity. He wanted to know who the girl was now. What did she have to do with basketball?

Maybe she was just an easy distraction.

Chad understood what Zeke meant, nodding along. "Usually I wouldn't give you advice but if you were wise…" Zeke began to say but Chad coughed obnoxiously, obviously on purpose. Troy's eyes darkened once again. He wanted to slam all three of the _amigos _heads together. "If you want to have a spot on the basketball team, stay away from her."

"Wha-? I mean, why?"

Jason stood, dumbfounded. "Who are you talking about?"

"We have to get to homeroom or Darbus will grill us," Chad said, ignoring both questions.

Jason smiled stupidly pretending that he'd known all along what everyone was talking about, "I was only pretending that I didn't know that we were talking about _Darbus_."

* * *

"So you're the infamous Troy Bolton," Troy's homeroom teacher exclaimed with excitement.

She was what people called a character.

Mrs. Darbus was around the age of fifty-five and the clothes she was wearing consisted of almost every color known to man. She had a large scarf wrapped around her neck even though it was not cold outside, and she walked with a sashay.

After reading over his schedule, Troy learned that she was his English teacher.

"Most people just call me Troy."

"Well Troy, could you take the empty seat in the back so I could begin taking attendance?" Mrs. Darbus pushed some of her thin blond hair and pointed to the unoccupied desk in the back of the room.

He saw that the desk was between two occupied seats, one which Chad was sitting and another one where a girl sat, hidden by a book that she was busy reading. Troy rolled his eyes, wondering if all of the teachers he had were going to purposely force him to be around Chad.

As Troy made his way to the seat, he found everyone in the classroom's eyes on him. Well, everyone except the girl who was reading. He found it odd that she didn't even put down the book since he'd entered to room. Usually, when he walked into a room attention just found it's way to him. He didn't even have to try.

What was so special about her? Was he not good enough for her attention?

Troy sat down in the seat with a loud sigh, trying to get her attention. Her desk was behind his and he couldn't even see her face, just her white flip flops on the floor. He turned in his seat as Mrs. Darbus began taking attendance, studying the girl. Troy tapped his fingers on her desk top lightly, barely making a noise but it had the effect that he wanted.

She slowlydropped _Pride and Prejudice_, a book that she'd read many times. Her eyes met his gaze, only becoming momentarily trapped in his blue eyes. Troy smirked, his eyes traveling down, lingering on her chest, noting that she was the same girl he'd seen walk by him.

She was the girl he'd been warned about.

"Do you want something?" She asked with annoyance laced in her voice. Tucking a curl behind her ear, she folded her arms over her chest.

Troy laughed, wondering if she was only messing with him. "Do you know who you're talking to?"

"Hmm, let's see," She smiled, feigning friendliness as she folded her hands together as if she were really interested but Troy could judge from the look on her face that she wasn't. "You're wearing a black t-shirt, which makes me wonder what you have to hide. Right above your left eye, there's a scar. But it doesn't look too recent so I'm guessing it's from a childhood accident? Here," She said, reaching for one of his hands. "Your knuckles are bruised," She ran her fingers tenderly over the flesh. "Slightly swollen as well, which makes me question your motives. And from that smug look on your face I'm assuming you've been planning to interrupt my reading since you've walked in the room. So yes, I'm guessing you're arrogant, but that can't possibly be your name. Am I correct?"

Troy heard Chad's laughter from the desk in front of his.

He felt as though the wind had been knocked out of his very body.

"Who the fuck are you?" Troy hissed, withdrawing his hand from her grasp, ignoring the tingling sensation when his skin brushed against hers.

"I would say that I'm your worst nightmare but that'd sound a little too cliché, don't you think?"

"Do you realize who I am?" Troy asked in disbelief. He was stunned by this girl who'd come out of nowhere and judged him, not even knowing who he was. _Everyone_ knew he was.

"Nope and honestly, I don't care," she told him, resuming her position reading her book.

"I'm Tro-" The bell sounded, dismissing them from homeroom and cutting Troy's introduction short.

"Oh look, we're out of time. I would say, 'see you around', but I don't want to," She stated, sliding from her seat and leaving the classroom, not even looking back once.

"What was _that_?" Troy blurted as Chad, Zeke and Jason met up with him outside of the classroom.

They couldn't contain their laughter after watching the girl take sharp jabs at Troy's large ego.

"I warned you for a reason," Zeke said with a shrug.

"Speaking of warnings, they're getting a little old. I wasn't planning on joining your failure for a team but now…" Troy smiled, a mischievous glint in his blue eyes. "Since you've been complaining, telling me not to join the pathetic _Wildcats_…I think I might go talk to Jeff to see if I can join."

"He won't let you on," Chad said unsure. This had been what he feared since he found out Troy was now going to East High.

"Oh trust me, he will."


	4. Proud

I want to get out as much reviews as I can before I go on vacation this Monday.

Read&Review, please. It would make me so happy **:)**

**Proud**

He wasn't following her. Maybe his curiosity was, but he, Troy Bolton, was not following her. If anything, he was a leader. Always a leader, born a leader. He was only observing.

Chad Danforth and his posse had left for basketball practice during free period, leaving Troy to do nothing but explore the school grounds. He hadn't meant to follow the girl who'd acted as if she had him completely figured out that morning in homeroom. But he had nothing better to do at the time. Troy was planning on making a trip to Principal Matsui's office before the end of free period. After free period, he was supposed to meet up with Chad outside of the gym and then head to the cafeteria for lunch.

Troy was growing tired of having someone to watch him and guide him. He didn't need it and that was what he was doing, learning every twist and turn of the school by himself when his eyes found her, straying from the crowd of students, occasionally looking over her shoulder to see if someone was watching her. When she seemed satisfied that no one was looking, she entered the empty gymnasium while the basketball team readied for practice in the locker-room.

He peeked through the glass window pane on the swinging door, allowing him to see what was going on inside. All he could see was the equipment along the sideline, ready for use, and a coach-like figure holding a clipboard, speaking to the girl.

Troy didn't usually pry, but in this case he was remotely interested. Though he could not hear what was being said inside, he could read their facial expressions. The girl looked angry as she turned abruptly, stomping quickly towards the door that Troy was spying from. His eyes widened as he began walking away, finding it completely weird having witnessed such a strange interaction between a coach and a student.

His mind wandered, thinking of the possible scenarios. Maybe East High was full of scandals… like relationships between students and teachers.

Interesting, Troy thought as he heard the door swing open, but he kept walking. He didn't want her to know that he had been looking in.

"Hey, you!" She yelled as she quickened her step to catch up to Troy who was hoping that she was talking to someone else instead of himself.

He wasn't cowardly though, so he turned to face her after realization dawned on him and he knew that she was talking to him. Troy said nothing, just looked her in the eyes, his own way of telling her that he had heard her. The moment their eyes locked he felt a strong sense of sudden heat that he tried to shake off.

"Don't think that I didn't see you. Do you have a problem? Do you like pushing your way into another person's business?" She glared as she interrogated him, stunning him for a moment.

"I don't know who you think you ar-"

"What's that supposed to mean? You're new here, genius. I have no clue who_ you_ are so do me a favor and step aside," She said the last part while walking by him, her shoulder bumping into his roughly.

"This joke is getting old, pretending you don't know me," He called after her, walking to catch up with her, loving that he was getting on her nerves.

"If this is a joke, I'm clearly missing the punch line. Enlighten me," She encouraged with mock enthusiasm. "Let me guess, you're secretly Brad Pit and the mask is just for cover."

His mouth dropped open. It was impossible that she didn't know who he was. She had to be messing with him, seeing how far she could push it until he cracked.

"Oh, hold on," She said, both of them coming to a stop in the empty hallway. "I do know who you are."

"I thought so."

She rolled her eyes. "Troy Bolton, right? I remember Darbus saying your name in homeroom."

"You probably have heard of me before…"

She brought her lower lip to cover her top as if in thought and shook her head. "No and I kind of have to get going, if you don't mind."

Troy moved swiftly, standing in front of her, blocking her way.

"Move."

"Make me," Troy smirked, not even caring how immature he sounded.

She smiled sweetly, extending her hand. "I don't think we've been properly introduced. I'm Gabriella."

Troy saw right through the act but shook her hand anyway, ignoring the sparks when their hands connected. He noted the look of uneasiness on her face as she pulled her hand back.

"So, I don't know why you've been bothering me today…" Gabriella drew out, studying his face, finding that his eyes captivated her from the moment she saw them but she'd never let him know that. "Maybe it's because you're new in town and you don't have many friends but I'm not interested in whatever you have in mind. Sorry," She said and then moved to pass him again only to find herself blocked. Gabriella exhaled a long, frustrated sigh. "Don't you have somewhere to be?"

"Why? So I can't witness part of the student/teacher relationship that you're pursuing?"

She laughed and shook her head. "You think you've got this whole place figured out, Troy."

"Oh, so now you know who I am," Troy said, stepping dangerously close to her, refusing to break eye contact, trying to seem threatening.

But Gabriella wasn't moved in the least bit. Her big brown eyes didn't even blink once, showing that she was fearless.

"I know that your name is Troy Bolton. I haven't the slightest idea who_ you_ are. No, I don't know you."

* * *

"Do you see my dilemma?" Troy asked while sitting properly in the seat in front of Principal Matsui's desk.

The principal nodded, totally buying Troy's act. Troy had given a whole speech about how much he loved basketball and missed playing on a team since he'd been expelled.

"I really think that playing on a team again will help shape my character and keep me out of trouble."

It was an obvious lie.

Troy didn't believe that his character needed shaping and he didn't think that anything would be able to keep him out of trouble here. East High was like the playground for trouble. There were so many opportunities and he knew he couldn't and wouldn't let them pass him.

"You're asking me if you can join the team?" Principal Matsui tried to make sure that he was grasping the right concept and wasn't misreading what Troy was trying to deliver.

"Yes," Troy stated. "I wasn't sure if I needed permission or not, you know, with my _situation_."

"There's always room for new players. But there will be conditions and rules that you must follow if you want to remain on the team."

Troy resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He didn't really want to be on the East High basketball team. He'd always be a knight, never a wildcat. Troy only wanted to join the basketball team to make Chad Danforth and the rest of the wildcats angry. He knew that he could dribble circles around any one of the players on his old team and the East High team. It was as if they made it this easy for him.

"And what might those conditions be, Jeff?"

"I will accept no foul play. I'm giving you one chance, Mr. Bolton. I'm hoping you do mean well by wanting to join the team. Hopefully you're taking this as an opportunity to turn over a new leaf," Principal Matsui said, his tone nothing but serious.

Troy mentally shrugged off the suggestion, knowing that no matter what he did, he always received second chances. What would make this time any different?

"I'm done with the foul play," Troy said, trying to sound completely honest.

"Nate would be proud-"

"What did you just say?" He snapped suddenly.

_There were people everywhere, excited, no, ecstatic for the young teenager who was becoming a mature adult. Tricia Bolton insisted on throwing a small party, celebrating her oldest son's acceptance to college. It came as no surprise when everyone learned that Nate had received a full scholarship since his grades were phenomenal and his football ability was even more outstanding._

_The small party quickly grew into a much larger gathering, making Troy want to have a little space in his own house. He retreated to the backyard where he had his very own half size basketball court, his sanctuary. Whenever he needed to think all he had to do was pick up a basketball._

_He'd come home that day, a wide grin spread on his face when he found out that he'd been accepted to an exclusive basketball summer camp. It was a great opportunity for him to step his game up and play with others who were at equal level with him, challenging him to perform better than he ever had._

_"Hey T!" Troy heard a familiar shout over his dribbles, knowing that it could only be one person since only one person called him that nickname, his brother._

_Nate approached him, beaming from ear to ear, his hands hidden behind his back. "I've got something for you," He said, pulling out a baseball cap that he'd hidden in his back pocket of his jeans. Nate placed it on top of his younger brother's head, pulling it down over his eyes in a joking manner._

_Troy pulled it off immediately, studying the pattern embroidered on the hat. There was a large 'UA' in the middle of the hat, a red hawk, the school's mascot, off to the side of the design. He ran his fingers over the hat, knowing that it was his dream to go to the University of Albuquerque one day, too. _

_"Thanks," Troy said genuinely, placing the hat back on his head once again._

_Nate nodded, taking the basketball from Troy's hands, shooting towards the basketball net, missing completely._

_Basketball was never his thing._

_"So…?" Nate asked._

_"So what?"_

_"High Flyers. Were you accepted?" Nate wondered out loud._

_Troy couldn't even hold back the smile that had formed on his face. Even though at times he'd never get along with his brother, he knew Nate was good for something. He was always the one who remembered everything. While the rest of his family was too busy celebrating Nate's acceptance to college, they hadn't even bothered to ask Troy if he'd been accepted to his dream camp._

_"I'm taking that as a yes," Nate said, his own signature smile spreading on his face again. "Congrats little bro."_

_Troy laughed. "What about you? You've just been accepted to U of A. I've only dreamt about how amazing that would be…"_

_"You don't have to dream," Nate told him simply, placing the basketball back in his younger brother's hands. "You've got what it takes, T. Just don't let it go, don't let the dream go."_

_He nodded, letting Nate's words of wisdom sink into his mind, refusing to let the words out of his mind._

_"So, High Flyers, huh? I know this is a sappy brother moment but, I'm proud of you Troy."_

Troy felt the bile rise in his throat, creating a burning sensation. No one knew this, but so easily his tough guy image could crumble to the floor in only seconds. Nate Bolton was his weakness. Whenever someone mentioned his older brother he'd choke up, unable to deal with the rush of emotions that followed. Sometimes his random flashbacks were enough to destroy him and let his guard down for an entire week until he found the strength to compose himself.

He hated when someone mentioned his older brother.

Troy had always thought that people did it on purpose as a way to get to him because usually whenever somebody mentioned Nate, it worked.

"I said your brother would be-"

"Don't say it," Troy hissed.

There was no way Nate would be proud of him now.

Troy heard what people whispered about him. They called him a lowlife, scum, trash. That was nothing to be proud of.

"Don't ever say that."

Principal Matsui nodded, understanding, knowing that there was nothing else he could do for the teenager's sake. "I'll talk to the coach, I'm sure we can work something out."

* * *

He was watching her. She could feel it. He'd been watching her a lot since he'd been here.

Gabriella shrugged off the feeling while she ate lunch with her closest friends.

Sharpay Evans, East High's drama queen, twin to Ryan Evans. The blonde was known for her talent in the acting department at East High and for her singing in the musicals. She also dated Zeke Baylor, a talented basketball player who secretly enjoyed to bake. His chocolate chip cookies were delicious enough to make her day whenever he specially made them for her.

Taylor McKessie, East High's brainiac, captain of the scholastic decathlon team. The African American teenager dated Chad Danforth, captain of the East High wildcats, a weird couple indeed. They brought out the best in each other, though, which is why they had been dating since freshmen year and now they were juniors.

Last but not least, Kelsi Neilson, East High's composer. She was known for being the girl behind the scene's of the high school's musical productions. Her best friend was Jason Cross, leaving Gabriella feeling like she was the seventh wheel, uneven as her friends always paired off together.

Troy ate lunch at the same table with them, which Gabriella found strange. Usually, her friends weren't so welcome to newcomers. There was something about Troy that was different though. His persistence to prove to her that she knew of him told her so.

She watched his interactions with Chad, seeing nothing but pure hatred.

Troy looked like he'd rather be anywhere but sitting with them.

She could see him stealing occasional glances at her, as her eyes narrowed. "Is there something you want?"

"Now that you mention it, yes," Jason Cross said as he reached across the table, taking Gabriella's brownie from her brown paper bag.

Everyone loved her mother's famous brownies.

Sharpay scoffed in disgust as Jason stuffed his face like a greedy animal.

Troy knew that the question had been directed to him as he smiled smugly.

"You know what, guys? I'm just going to head to my locker a little early," Gabriella clarified and stood up from her seat, dismissing herself from the cafeteria after hearing a chorus of goodbyes from her friends.

Troy followed her actions not much later, coming up with a lie that he had told Principal Matsui that he'd meet him to discuss how his day was so far.

It didn't take long for him to find her by her locker, sorting through her many books and folders. He leaned casually on the locker next to hers.

"I was expecting you," Gabriella said, not even tearing her eyes away from the inside of her locker.

"Of course you were," Troy muttered, moving closer, testing the waters. He pressed his front against her back, propping himself up by caging her in his arms while his hands rested on the locker. He whispered, his lips brushing over her earlobe delicately, purposely. "You wouldn't have announced it if you didn't want to be followed."

She wouldn't allow herself to shiver at his simple touches. Gabriella didn't want him to know the effect he was having on her. It was too sudden, he was looking to play her, she figured. He had only found out her name less than an hour ago. When he brought one of his hands to rest on her hip, she felt a small tremble go through her body involuntarily.

"I can do so much more for you than any teacher could," He whispered huskily, nipping on her ear.

Gabriella closed her eyes momentarily, before they snapped open in realization. She turned around in his arms, finding it so much easier to be strong around him when she wasn't looking into those sapphire eyes. "There is nothing going on with me and any teacher," Gabriella stated, almost feeling herself gag at the thought.

She moved his hands off of her, pushing his chest backwards so she could no longer feel his warm breath on her skin.

"I don't know how it was in your old school, but I don't appreciate boys coming on to me after knowing me for only a few hours," Gabriella stated with self respect.

"I know that your name is Gabriella. But I haven't the slightest idea who _you_ are," Troy felt a smirk tug at the corner of his lips as he recited almost the same thing that she had said to him earlier that day.

She felt like smacking that pathetic smirk off of his face.

"But I'd really like to get to know you," Troy said, raising his eye brows suggestively, thinking of getting to know her in a way that didn't involve talking.

Suddenly something clicked in her mind, like a light bulb turning on.

"Troy Bolton!" Gabriella whisper shouted.

Of course she heard about him before, how hadn't she noticed him? He was all she ever heard about. Whether it was from girls gushing about his good looks, conversations at the dinner table, or if it was Chad and other members of the basketball team complaining about him and the West High knights.

"You're from West High! You're the Troy Bolton," Gabriella exclaimed as she reached for the top of his head, causing his face to scrunch up in confusion while she brushed some of his hair away until she revealed the same scar that she'd seen earlier that day. "Ah, it's really there."

"You weren't joking when you said you didn't know who I was earlier?" Troy asked with incredulity.

"Wow, you really are arrogant," Gabriella stated, shutting her locker.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

"You think you're overly impor-"

Troy cut her off, "I know what arrogance is. But I, Troy Bolton, am not arrogant." He said with a slight snort.

"Fine, you're just really _proud_."


	5. Not the Best Start

I''m so sorry about this late update, I've been on vacation.

I was planning on updating my other story first but I really wanted to get this out.

Please review, they're what keeps me going.

* * *

**Not the Best Start**

"Mr. Bolton!"

The shrill screech was enough to make anyone's blood curdle. It was like taking a finger nail to a chalkboard, a painful and most excruciating sound to the ears.

This caused the sleeping teenage boy's head to bolt up from where it lay on his desk, in complete awareness. Troy had to blink a few times to refocus his eyes as his drama teacher sent him death glares and most of the class held their laughter behind their palms.

Troy had just started at East High and he already knew how much he despised his drama class. He would describe it was pure torture if it wasn't for Gabriella who sat in front of him, giving him something to pay attention to for a portion of the class.

That had failed this time since he'd managed to doze off during one of Mrs. Darbus' long rants about how much society differed from how it used to be when she was their age.

"Yes Mrs. Darbus?" Troy smiled, trying to act as though he'd been listening to her the whole entire class instead of dreaming about being on a basketball court with the girl sitting in front of him, except they were without clothes. He glanced at Gabriella who wasn't paying attention to the spectacle he was making.

"What's your opinion on this?" The drama teacher asked him, knowing that he had not been paying attention in the least bit.

"My opinion is yes. Or maybe no," Troy pretended to ponder this when in reality he had no idea whatsoever what had been discussed in the classroom. This caught Gabriella's attention as she bit back her laughter.

"I'm very well aware that your mind has been elsewhere," Mrs. Darbus told him, folding her hands together from where she stood at the head of the classroom. "And it's completely understandable."

"It is?" Gabriella piped up, joining in the exchange between Troy and Mrs. Darbus.

"Let the woman talk," Troy said with a smirk.

"Hmm," Mrs. Darbus said, analyzing the situation at hand. "It's understandable because Mr. Bolton isn't used to this class yet. I'm sure it's probably much different than his old class." Troy nodded. "So what I'm suggesting is that someone volunteer to help him out, get him caught up in this class."

There was a room full of silence. No one dared to step up to help Troy. Most were afraid of him. Many of the students didn't even know how he'd wound up at East High. Some believed that he'd been involved in something illegal, that there was no other explanation for what Troy was doing there. He didn't belong, he never would.

"No volunteers?" Mrs., Darbus asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Unbelievable," Gabriella muttered under her breath sarcastically.

"Oh! Gabriella!" The drama teacher clapped her hands together with enthusiasm.

"Wh- no. No way, it's not happening. Never no," Gabriella pleaded, having been misunderstood. She would not help Troy. She refused to. She didn't care how bad he needed the help.

"This is perfect!" Mrs. Darbus continued as Troy just smirked, amused. "You're at the top of this class. You'd be the best choice to help Mr. Bolton."

"But there's no time. I'm just so busy," Gabriella said with a sigh. "Darn, I wish there was someway…" She said, obviously faking it.

"I'm sure you can pencil me in somewhere," Troy said with a shrug of his muscular shoulders.

"I could always speak to your father-" Mrs. Darbus began to suggest but was quickly cut off.

"No! I mean no, that wouldn't be necessary at all," Gabriella covered quickly. She hated when people chose to bring her father into everything. She didn't like him in her business. "Fine, I'll do it."

"Fabulous!" The teacher flipped her blonde mane over her shoulder.

* * *

"I'm not that vile," Troy gave a sickly sweet smile as he leaned on the locker next to Gabriella's during passing time in-between classes on his second day at East High.

"I don't care about what you are or what you're not," Gabriella stated, slamming her locker angrily. "You wouldn't even accept my help anyway."

_He dribbled, faking left and going right, a technique that never failed him. Aiming the ball easily, it made a 'swishing' sound as it went through the basket. It came so easy to him, a skill he was born to possess. _

"_Good job guys, bring it in," Coach Bolton called from the center of the gymnasium as the basketball team pulled together in a tight huddle. He smiled, feeling ready for the upcoming season of basketball with full confidence in his team. _

_The sixteen-year-old Troy Bolton jogged into the huddle to join the rest of his team, his chestnut brown hair plastered to his skull, thick with sweat after having endured such a tough scrimmage. His chest heaved as he fought to catch his breath. _

"_That was really great, just what I wanted to see," Coach Bolton told the basketball team. "Keep this up and we'll have no problem beating East High." The knights nodded in agreement. "Oh and Troy, maybe you could change it up a bit. If you keep faking left like that, soon they're going to catch on," Coach Bolton was half joking, half serious. _

_Troy rolled his eyes. He didn't need to hear this. Even if another team caught on to his move and the play, they'd never be able to catch him. Never. "Funny joke, Coach." _

_Trevan folded his arms together, his eyes narrowing at his conceited captain. _

"_Maybe we can just switch it up a bit," Coach Bolton suggested as if it were no big deal because it wasn't. But it was always a big deal to Troy. No one told him that he needed to step his game up. _

"_There's no switching required."_

"_Changing things around could only improve-"_

"_What's there to improve? My game is fine the way it is. You know what? It's not only fine, it's the best in Albuquerque and I'm pretty sure everyone knows that," Troy cut off his father, his ego expanding larger with every word spoken. _

_The coach simply shook his head. "You're going to regret this one day."_

"_Regret what exactly?"_

"_You leave no room for anything new. I'm only trying to help, but you won't accept it."_

"_No, Dad. We both know that's not how it is. You don't have any to boss around anymore, right?" Troy said, his voice raw, low so that everyone didn't have to hear what he was saying. "I'm not Nate. Never will be," He said with distaste. _

"_Troy, please. I'm only trying to help."_

"_I don't need your help."_

"Troy?" Gabriella said his name, waking Troy from the memory with confusion etched on her face.

"You know what…if you don't want to help me, I'm over it. I'll be fine on my own," He told her, brushing by her, no longer caring about if he was behind in drama class. It was a stupid class anyway, he figured. It wouldn't determine his future.

"Wait Troy-"

But he was long gone.

* * *

"I can't believe this," Zeke Baylor said angrily, slamming his gym locker closed with a bang.

"No need to have a bitch fit," Troy shrugged, smiling triumphantly on the inside, knowing that once again he had gotten what he wanted. He was now a wildcat, though he'd never truly be one. It was just a title while he was a knight at heart. It would take a long time for that to ever change.

"I don't know what you're trying to prove," Chad thought out loud, pretending as though he really was unfazed by Troy becoming a member of the basketball team. Secretly, he knew what everyone else was thinking. Everyone was waiting to see if Troy would take their positions, their playing time. Chad wouldn't let anyone know that he feared his role as team captain was at stake.

Troy pulled off his shirt, replacing it with a practice jersey. Honestly, he didn't know quite exactly what he was trying to prove. He wanted to make a statement when they were telling him not to join the team. He only wanted to be apart of it because they didn't want him to be. Plus, he'd love to see his father's reaction. "I have nothing to prove…especially to someone like you."

Suddenly there was a sound of palms clapping together with excitement as Jason bounded into the locker room. "Did you hear? Did you hear?!" Jason practically yelled, demolishing the tension in the room.

"What Jase?" Zeke asked, trying not to sound annoyed though he was.

Everyone had little patience and were in no mood to deal with Jason at the moment.

"Bolton is on the basketball team!"

"And you're happy about this because…?" Chad tied his sneakers as Troy stopped what he was doing to listen to the conversation taking place.

"We've got East High's secret weapon!"

Leave it to Jason to find something positive in every situation. Chad ignored the murmurs of agreement in the room, shrugging it off. "Listen to yourselves. It's almost as if you believe Troy Bolton was the entire team."

Troy felt as though everyone had forgotten he was in the room. "See that's where you're wrong. I was the entire team."

* * *

She felt guilty.

She knew that she shouldn't though.

He brought this on himself. He didn't want her help, he never would. From what she had heard about him, she knew he preferred to work alone. That was just the way Troy Bolton was. She knew she wasn't going to change that.

But then why couldn't she stop thinking about him?

Gabriella sighed. This wasn't the way she was supposed to be feeling. He had no right to inflict guilt on her. But just the look of pain on his face…

It was the first time she'd ever seen his weakness, only if it was for a few seconds.

She wanted to know why. What had made him react in such a way. Gabriella found herself curious, wanting to know everything about Troy, everything that he kept inside. This was against her own rules, that she knew. Never would she normally want to involve herself with someone people described as a criminal. Yet she was going to offer to basically tutor him.

Gabriella liked risks, she always had, but this was much different then a risk. It was almost like an investment. She was going to bargain with West High's golden boy, hoping that maybe somehow she'd have some kind of impact on him.

She picked up her pace, hoping that she'd reach the gym before the basketball team was there practicing. The door creaked open as she peaked in to find most of the team waiting for the rest of them to arrive, just like she hoped to see. Her eyes scanned the gymnasium quickly, noticing that Troy was not there yet. Gabriella closed the door, taking a deep breath before she diverted her direction, using the side door to enter the boy's locker room.

She knew it was forbidden but she also knew that if she got caught, she could so easily make up an excuse to get herself out of any form of trouble.

"Wow, my prayers have been answered," One of the players joked, eyeing her suggestively as she rolled her eyes in pure disgust. As she walked along the hall, she peeked into the cubicles quickly, looking for only one person.

And that's when she saw him.

"Troy!"

All four boys, Chad, Jason, Zeke and Troy looked over at once.

"What are you? I mean why are you-"

She sighed, defeated. Gabriella hadn't had a well thought out plan about what she would say or do after she found him.

"I wanted to talk to you about what Mrs. Darbus suggested."

Chad and Zeke held in their laughter as their coach showed up behind Gabriella and Troy, going completely unrecognized as he watched the scene unfold.

Troy laughed coldly, gesturing to his new teammates around him. "I don't think now is the best time."

"Yes, I agree," East High's basketball coach spoke up, half amused and half angry, causing both of the teenagers to look at him.

Gabriella rolled her eyes. He always found the need to make the worst entrances. "Can you please just give us a moment?"

"Not right now, this is my house," He told her. Troy watched, trying to figure it out. The interaction between the coach and the student. It reminded him of the way he used to talk to his coach, but his coach was his father…

Something wasn't adding up.

"Dad, this involves class work. It's serious."

Dad.

Oh no. There was no way she just said that. Troy backtracked, looking stunned as Chad and Zeke burst out laughing, Jason standing nearby not fully understanding what was going on.

"He's… you mean… the basketball coach, dad?" Troy choked out pointing from the coach to the girl that had been on his mind since he'd arrived at the school. This was so wrong. So incredibly wrong.

"We warned you man," Zeke reminded with a laugh.

Coach Montez stared down the new player. He'd been informed about him and now the sight of his daughter in the boy's locker room talking to him was enough to make him apprehensive. "You're Troy Bolton right?"

Troy nodded briskly.

"Not the best start, don't you think?"


	6. Challenge

I have no excuse for my lack of updates.

Pure lazyness, end of summer.

You know blah blah blah.

I tried to make this chapter as simple as I could.

**The **_italicized_** is what led up to the **present**, much like flashbacks.**

It switches from past to present a lot.

**Disclaimer** Don't own anything from HSM

**P.S.** Get the Jonas Brother's album _A Little Bit Longer_, if you haven't already. It's so so so so amazing.

* * *

**Challenge**

It was the intoxicating feel of warm flesh on flesh that led Gabriella to forget. She forgot everything, her surroundings, what she was doing in the unfamiliar house and most of all, she forgot why she was letting herself go to Troy Bolton.

_She was waiting for him, acting as though it were casual for her to hang out after school until the afternoon basketball practice ended. Leaning against the wall outside of the gymnasium, Gabriella stood, her eyes fixated on the door that would open any moment now. _

_Practice had ended ten minutes prior, meaning that the team would be exiting the locker room soon, which meant she could finally speak to Troy._

_Gabriella didn't know why she wanted to so badly. Her father had quickly given her the boot when he caught her and Troy in a conversation in the boy's locker room before practice, before she'd even been given the chance to explain. _

_Troy had found out that she was the coach's daughter._

_Now he'd become like the rest of the basketball playing population of East High…he would soon completely freeze her out. Gabriella wasn't naïve. She knew that every member of the boy's basketball team made a mental note to keep a safe distance from Gabriella Montez._

_It wasn't as if they were afraid of her._

_Chad, Zeke, and Jason remained friends with her, but that was only because they'd known her since they were four years of age. As for the rest of the players on the team…they knew it was best to stay away. Just the thought of doing or saying something to upset Gabriella scared them, leaving them wondering if effecting the coach's daughter physically or emotionally would shorten their playing time._

_This automatically dubbed her off limits to basketball players. _

_A big 'no'. Out of boundaries. _

_And she didn't know why…but she didn't want that to be the case with Troy. Gabriella figured that he'd already been given the speech to keep away but she was hoping she might change his mind._

_Little did she know that the only rules or warnings Troy listened to were his own._

He moved his hand from her lower back, caressing the back of her upper thigh gently, which was gradually being exposed due to her denim skirt hitching up further with every movement she made. Gabriella lightly brushed her swollen lips across his once again, almost as if she wasn't sure if she should.

Troy didn't care.

He just didn't care. All that mattered was that he got what he wanted and he was satisfied. If there were any repercussions from his actions he simply didn't care. Troy had wanted this since his first day at East High and the fact that the rest of the wildcats defined Gabriella as an 'untouchable', effectively had only made him want her more.

_"Troy!" Gabriella had to place her hand on his upper arm to get his attention since his head was down, as if studying his sneakers, and her voice was drowned out due to the iPod headphones that were blasting in his ears. _

_His head jerked up immediately almost like he were in shock, his eyes dark and cold, the brilliant blue becoming ice. "What?" Troy's emotionless tone asked with no care._

_She was caught off guard. Usually he'd have some snide comment or a smug smile plastered on his face but now…he looked as though he'd rather be anywhere in this world except right there. "I um, well I was going to-"_

_"Tell me your dad is the coach? Oh wait, you didn't tell me that. No one did," Troy said angrily, remembering the practice that had just taken place. _

_Troy had been to many difficult and tough practices in his lifetime but never had he been pushed so hard. He believed that it had something to do with his coach already disliking him._

_Besides that, most of the team was against him. Some players weren't sure if he could be trusted. Some feared that he'd snatch away their positions and playing time. There wasn't one single person who thought that Troy's motives were pure. _

_He knew the price he would pay when it came to the father/daughter relationship between his new coach and his new conquest._

As he responded to her kiss, she pulled away quickly after feeling an unrecognizable spark on her lips, much like the small shock that occurred from static electricity. Gingerly she brought her fingers to her lips, the expression on her face reading nothing but pure confusion. Troy shifted from where he lay on top of her, gazing down at her with interest.

Her eyes locked on his as she recollected rational thoughts, smoothing her skirt out and moving her shirt back into its regular position. She looked at the thrown books on the floor, the ones that had been carelessly discarded, swept off the bed in a single motion.

The bed's blankets lay twisted on the floor after falling from the bed that had been unmade to begin with. She raked a hand through her hair desperately, her mind scolding her for her poor behavior. She had offered to help him. This was not how Gabriella had imagined their first tutor session playing out.

_"I'll help you," She told him simply._

_Troy finally pressed pause on his iPod, removing one of his headphones from his ear so he would seem like he was listening because now he finally was. _

_He could just picture it now._

_It wouldn't be a difficult task. Troy knew right then and there that he was going to use the Coach Montez' daughter. He'd prove to his new teammates that he was the best on and off court. First, all he needed to do was get her to fall for his charm, convince her that his feelings were real and sincere. Then, when he got bored with being a wildcat, he'd dump her, let her fall flat on her face. _

_Gabriella had been cold to him since he'd arrived at the school, she deserved it. All of East High deserved to feel what he had since he'd been kicked out of West High, his home away from home. _

She hurriedly picked up a biography on Shakespeare, one that she had chosen for Troy to help him get the background knowledge that he would need. Gabriella sat back on the bed, but put a good distance between them, acting like nothing had happened at all.

Gabriella knew she'd temporarily let go of herself. That could never happen again. She didn't even like Troy, she only tolerated him. Also, learning more about the mystery that was Troy was a perk. But this was absolutely not the way she had wanted to get to know him.

"What are you doing?" Troy asked, his voice still low and husky, his breathing uneven. Was this a rejection? He wasn't sure. Personally, he'd never experienced one. He wouldn't allow himself to believe that this was a rejection.

"What I came here to do, help you."

Troy groaned, unsatisfied, strongly gripping one of her small hands, pressing it to his pants against his throbbing member. "Oh really? Well who's going to help me with this?"

Gasping, she pulled her hand back, her eyes flaring with anger. "This was not what I meant by tutoring. Whatever just happened between us," She said, pointing to herself then to him, watching his eyes go wide, "it was a slip up. That was not supposed to happen and I can assure you, it'll never happen again."

_"Help me?" _

_"Yes, I want to help you. Maybe I've been too inconsiderate towards you since you've arrived," Gabriella shrugged. "I've judged a book by its cover but now I'm giving you a chance to allow me to see you differently."_

_Troy sighed, his hand coming up to massage his temple. "Listen, I don't know what you've got me pegged as. Punk, player, jock, I don't know," he further exaggerated his point. "But I do know that I don't give a fuck what you think or what anyone else here thinks about me."_

_"I'm not judging you right now." Gabriella tried to reason but was beginning to discover Troy's temper problems. _

_His eyes narrowed. "What do you want?"_

_"What?"_

_"What do you get for helping me?"_

_"I'll feel less guilty for being a coldhearted bitch to you since you've arrived in front of me in homeroom," Gabriella said, a small joking smile forming on her face. When Troy continued studying her with his eyes, she shrugged. "I don't want anything but-"_

_"But what?"_

_"I'll need a ride home after I help you," Gabriella stated her only price._

_Contemplating the details, Troy nodded slowly. "So you come to my house, help me with some drama shit, and I drive you home?"_

_"You've got yourself a deal."_

_Sighing once again, he decided to believe her. He needed a way to start his own plan that involved Gabriella anyway and what better way then to have the Coach Montez' daughter herself as his tutor? "Fine." Troy walked out the school doors, making his way to his truck, expecting Gabriella to follow, which she did. _

_"Rebellious," She said suddenly once they were both in the truck. _

_Troy's face contorted with confusion. "What?"_

_"Not punk, player, or jock," She repeated what he had thought she had judged him as. "Rebel."_

_"I thought you said no judgments."_

_"That's an opinion."_

He smirked.

It was a challenging smirk, she knew.

"So you're one of those," Troy said with a fake understanding nod.

Gabriella was beginning to regain her composure, flipping through pages of the book that sat on her lap, refusing to make eye contact with Troy. "One of what?"

"Tease."

She shut the book right away, the thick pages making a banging sound as they slammed together. "I am not a tease."

Troy's smile grew larger, knowing that he was pushing the right buttons. "Then what do you call that episode?"

"I'm here to help. But to set the record straight, you came on to me."

_The ride home was long and silent. Troy would occasionally sneak glances but only to find Gabriella's eyes trained outside the passenger window. She felt like she was exploring new territory, completely out of place. She was seeing many parts of west Albuquerque that she'd never seen before. It almost felt like walking into a different life style, though it was very similar. _

_And she didn't know that Troy knew exactly how she felt. He'd been through the same thing and was still dealing with it after changing schools. _

_"You know I'm perfectly capable of talking."_

_The silence was broken._

_She looked over at him. "Trust me…" Gabriella's dark eyes connected with his. "I know."_

_"Then why are you acting like you're afraid to talk to me?" Troy asked, his gaze solely focused on the road ahead as he turned his truck onto his street. "Like whenever I speak I'm committing some kind of horrible sin."_

_"I'm not afraid of anything."_

_"You were afraid to tell me your dad is my new coach."_

_Gabriella sighed. "I was not afraid. And I'm not afraid to talk to you, I just had nothing to say."_

_"Why are you suddenly being nice, acting as though you're interested in well uh-"_

_"Helping you?" She filled in for Troy, allowing her eyes to wander around the large house he had parked in front of. It was white with dark blue shutters, flowers outside the windows, a huge garden circling around the front porch._

_Basically everything Gabriella hadn't expected. _

_She could only think about how out of place Troy seemed to her. It was like placing a Christmas tree on the beach. He just didn't fit. Gabriella couldn't see someone like Troy growing up in a house like that. She wondered what his parents were like, if he had any siblings._

_"All of your friends want me gone…and you're actually helping me," Troy said, analyzing the situation at hand. "Isn't this against some kind of unwritten rule?"_

_"I don't follow rules," Gabriella said with a shrug. _

_The statement made Troy's blue eyes light up. _

_It sounded exactly like something he'd say._

"I came on to you?" Troy asked using a mocking tone of voice. "You've been waiting for this since I've showed up."

Troy grabbed her arm, preventing further movement as she stuffed her books back in her bag, slinging it over her shoulder in a frenzy wanting to get out of there as quick as possible. "You have to be kidding me. First you find it amusing to bother me in homeroom, which has become a routine for you almost everyday. Then you have the nerve to follow me and even after that stalker stunt, you asked me if I had a relationship with a teacher. And when I thought that it couldn't get any worse, Darbus asks me to help you," She took a deep breath, now pacing the floor as Troy watched her, trying his hardest not to laugh. "Since I'm a kind person I couldn't refuse. Now here you are, using me!"

He was beginning to wonder if he was completely transparent. Either transparent or he was like wax paper, semi see-through. It worried him. No one ever dared to discover the feelings that he masked.

"I'm not using you," Troy told her calmly, unaffected by her sudden outburst. "Look, I'm sorry," he tried his hardest to sound sincere. "It's just I've had this dream before about having a sexy tutor and well, almost every guy fantasizes about that, so you can't blame me."

"Oh, wow. Then _I_ should be the one apologizing," Gabriella said sarcastically. "Troy, I am _so_ sorry that your hands have a magnetic pull to my body," She said dramatically, her eyes narrowed and angry.

_He was the one who suggested that the best place to 'study' would be in his room. Though studying and schoolwork were far from his mind. _

_She had pulled his computer chair to the side of his bed crossing her legs, refusing to sit next to him as he was sprawled out comfortably on his back, his hands behind his head, his eyes closing as if he were either falling asleep or deeply concentrating. _

_His room was exactly how she'd pictured it. Four dark blue walls, dirty laundry scattered in several places on the floor. _

_"I think I'm beginning to understand," Troy said, a smirk on his face like always. "I just don't get why someone would like writing about love then killing it."_

_"You obviously don't understand it at all," Gabriella huffed, blowing her fringe from her eyes. "Shakespeare was a genius. You aren't grasping the concept. The whole… star crossed lovers vibe."_

_"Star crossed?" _

_"Meaning that fate was against them. Romeo and Juliet I mean.."_

_Troy opened his eyes, blinking lazily. "I'm going to need an example," he sat up straight, finally looking as though he was interested. _

_Gabriella closed the biography, pushing it aside so that it was next to Troy. "Okay…" She said slowly, thinking. "I'll try to explain it as simple as possible because it is quite simple. I'll use you for example."_

_"Me?"_

_"Yes," She punctuated with a nod. "You were the captain of the basketball team at West High, correct?" _

_"Yes."_

_"Now, let's say that you loved someone who was from a different world. Clearly not belonging together, but you can't help the way you feel and everyone turned against you."_

_Troy's eyes locked on hers, never looking away. "That would never happen…and I still don't get the whole star crossed part."_

_She suppressed a groan, stood up and then took a seat next to him, trying to think of a different approach. "You're the basketball captain of one school. Pretend you fell in love with…I don't know, the head cheerleader of your rival school. You know…like opposite."_

_Troy shifted, studying her, watching as she bit her lower lip. "What if.."_

_"What?" She asked, flinching when he brought his rough hand to her cheek, slowing drawing her lips closer to his._

_"What if I…the basketball captain was with…let's say…I don't know," He whispered. "The rival coach's daughter?" He finished the statement, so close that she could feel the warmth of his breath on her skin. "Would that be…star crossed?"_

_She was strong._

_Gabriella wouldn't let him have his way with her. "That's not the same at all, there would be no love there," She stared, knowing nothing but the truth. "It's entirely different-"_

_But before she could say anything else, Troy's lips hungrily captured hers, demanding a reaction, muffling her explanation, her protest. _

_This was wrong._

_So wrong._

_Gabriella couldn't fight it though. As Troy fought to part her lips with his anxious tongue, she couldn't do anything else but comply. She let out a soft moan as his tongue found hers to caress, his arms wrapping around her waist while hers found his neck. Troy shifted, holding his weight so he didn't crush her as he climbed on top of her, crashing his lips against hers once more._

_It wasn't supposed to feel like this._

_So…incredible._

_Troy pushed the thought from his mind._

"I'm leaving," She said.

"I'm taking you home, remember?" Troy rolled his eyes, grabbing his keys from his computer desk.

Gabriella shook her head. "I'd rather walk."

* * *

"And then you let her walk?" Chad asked, trying to seem as uninterested as possible even though he was very interested.

The team was practicing during free period, the practice being run by the captain. Everyone was either attentively listening to Troy's story about the previous day with Gabriella or trying their hardest to hear tiny snippets of it. Many had asked what the whole deal was, why she was in the locker room.

Troy took another shot from mid court, causing his teammates to look up and watch as the ball soared through the net once again. Troy shrugged, not sure what else he could say about it.

"That's a long walk," Jason called from the other side of the gym, everyone turned to look at him, wondering how he could've possibly heard the conversation taking place. He was a huge mystery.

"Tay picked her up at the corner of your street," Chad informed him.

Troy didn't want to pretend he was concerned, he'd seen her in homeroom so he figured nothing terribly harmful had happened to her. "What was she doing at your house anyway?" Zeke joined into the conversation.

"I needed _help_, if you know what I mean," Troy said smugly.

Zeke and Chad froze instantly. "What?" Chad was the first to ask.

"It's simple really," Troy allowed a basketball to spin on top of his pointer finger, shifting his shoulders so it traveled up his arm, across his back, then down his other arm. "Like basketball," He dribbled a few times, taking another shot at the basket. "I always score," He stated as the ball made the familiar swishing sound.

Almost everyone on the team besides Troy began laughing.

"Yeah right." Zeke said.

"In your dreams," someone shouted.

"Nothing happened," Chad told him. "Gabriella is what they call…"

"Cold bitch," someone supplied.

"Stubborn?"

"_Untouchable_," Chad finished. "And not just because she's Coach Montez' daughter. That's the way it is, the way it's always been."

"Want to place a small wager?" Troy asked and everything going on in the gymnasium came to a abrupt halt. It was as if someone clicked the pause button. "I bet I can get her to spread her legs."

Chad snorted, the only person to make any sound or movement. "You want to place a bet on the coach's daughter?"

It was risky.

_Extremely_ risky.

"Better yet, I can get this girl to fall. Fall hard," Troy said, his voice grim.

"You're cold, Bolton."

"You know what? I don't even need money. I can do this myself and prove to every one of you dipshits that there's nothing or no one that is_ untouchable_ to a Bolton."

Chad rolled his eyes. "So no bet?"

"No bet, more like…a challenge."


	7. Awake

The tutor sessions had had no effect on Troy.

They occurred daily and Gabriella was starting to believe that maybe Troy didn't even need the help…there was something that just didn't add up about him. It was as if he didn't want to even try, destining himself to fail. At first, she had thought he wanted this, a new start, he'd been cocky enough about it. Now he was just...quiet, strangely quiet. He was a mystery waiting to be solved and she liked that about him, though she'd never admit it.

She'd been keeping her distance from him as she tutored him, not wanting a repeat of the previous week even though now she was becoming sure that the distance was not completely necessary. He was like a book in a foreign language, unreadable to her. Troy was emotionless to her, sometimes she even wondered if he had even done that, maybe she just dreamt it. Why had she not been pinched? What she didn't understand was that she was actually bothered by the fact that he was not showing any interest in her anymore.

"Gabs, you still coming over today?" Taylor asked, grabbing her friend's arm as she passed her in the hallway at the end of the school day, breaking her away from her thoughts.

Feeling her mouth hang open, Gabriella snapped it shut. Was she really blowing off her friends lately, like she thought she was? "Shit I completely forgot, Tay, I'm so sorry. I have to tutor," she groaned, trying to show that she was annoyed. But she wasn't annoyed, not in the least bit. She didn't know why but for whatever reason, she liked spending time with Troy...almost enjoyed it. He was just…different. He had been from the start, she never doubted that.

"It's fine," Taylor said with a laugh, walking backwards towards the main door of the lobby where her blonde friend was waiting. "Have fun!" She called with a wink, shaking her head as she turned around and left the building. Gabriella hadn't gotten into details when Taylor had picked her up that day she'd stomped out of Troy's house. Though she would not spill, Taylor had a way of knowing things, she always had since preschool. It was like the Taylor Mckessie gift.

Upon arrival, the gymnasium was empty, dead silent, so still that she could only hear her own footsteps and breathing. It took Gabriella's mind a few seconds to register that there hadn't been a basketball practice that day. All she had to do was slip into her father's office to pick up her bag where she'd stored it earlier that morning. She hated empty gymnasiums, glancing around was enough to give her the chills.

"_I don't know what it is, Gabs," Sharpay said in a low tone, glancing from her friend to the blue eyed boy who sat at the end of the lunch table, looking like he was intentionally staying away from her. "…but something tells me that you and the new kid had some sort of rundown," raising her eyebrows to emphasize what she truly meant.  
_

"_Shar…" Taylor warned, her eyes wide, searching Gabriella's to see if the statement had bothered her in anyway, looking for some kind of truth or confession. Taylor hadn't been informed of everything that had happened so she did have suspicions like Sharpay, she was just more quiet about them, never forcing information that she knew wouldn't be dished out. _

_Gabriella shook her head lightly with a shrug, seemly unaffected by what Sharpay had accused. Her friends always had the gift of knowing when something wasn't right, when something had to have happened, big or small. Raising her head from where it was focused, her eyes no longer staring at the tabletop underneath her, looking at nonother than Troy who was sitting across the lunch table, looking at her as well. She would've turned away, blushing that she had been caught but she couldn't. Mesmerized, she kept her gaze fixated on him. Damn he was so smug. For a short-lived moment her chocolate eyes connected with his icy blue ones. The second they locked eyes, she felt him._

She didn't worry about getting caught in the boys locker room after school hours, the only faculty member that would've found her there was her father. Taking her time, Gabriella slugged her backpack over her shoulder, gripping one of the straps with her hand as she turned off the lights in her father's office and made her way back to the gym so that she could exit the area.

That was when she felt as though she'd walked right into her own nightmare.

The gym lights were definitely still on when she'd first entered the gym. Now, barely any sunlight leaked into the gym, only a small ray of light that poured through the tiny window on the door.

It was so silent all she could hear was her labored breathing until she heard the squeak of someone's shoes on the linoleum.

"Who's there?" Gabriella tried her hardest not to sound too panicked. No answer. Walking briskly towards the door, she tugged, only finding it locked. She cursed under her breath.

"I know someone's there."

Then she heard the laugh. Not just any laugh, it was _his_ laugh.

"Troy! This isn't funny!"

"I find it rather humorous," He said, and just like that, he was directly behind her, dangling a set of keys right by her ear. "Finally, I found your weakness. Afraid of the dark? Montez, I thought you would do better than that."

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "I have no weaknesses," she stated this boldly, clearly a mistake.

She could feel his presence, his body moving closer to her, his warm breath hitting her neck, causing her to shiver.

"That's an awfully brave thing to say."

"It's true though," She wondered if her voice shook, deceiving her and giving away that she was lying. His hand fell on her hip, his fingers flexing over the curve, pulling her back into his chest.

This was not apart of the schedule.

Even though she wanted to pretend to be disgusted, she wasn't. Troy was that boy that parents warned you to stay away from, the type that you could just picture on a motorcycle with the symbol that made you stare sewed onto their leather jacket. He was the kind that you were supposed to glance at but then never look back or else you'd be hooked like a drug that you just needed, couldn't get out of your system. He gave off this dangerous vibe that was everything but repellant to Gabriella.

She rolled her shoulder back, seemingly aggravated, a weak attempt at brushing him off. No such luck.

Shuffling his feet, Gabriella now knew he was up to something, his movements causing her to move with him. He was making his way backwards, pulling her along gently. "Troy…"

He hushed her, only stopping when he'd backed into the gym wall. Only then did he release his hold on her, turning swiftly to cage her body between his and the wall. "Troy," She repeated a little louder this time, a little more assertive.

Rolling his eyes, Troy captured both of her hands in his, twining their fingers together tightly, giving her hand a squeeze. Gabriella closed her eyes as he pinned her hands above her shoulders, causing her breathing to grow heavier, Troy could see this. He could see her change in posture. Unlocking one of his hands from hers, he lightly brushed his finger across her cheek.

What was he doing? He never touched a girl like this, never looked at a girl like this. He was Troy Bolton. He got what he wanted and then ditched. This was still only a bet...right? Nothing had changed, nothing ever would. He too closed his eyes, silently cursing under his breath. He wasn't mad at her exactly, he just didn't know what made her so different. When Gabriella repeated his name for the third time in nothing more than a whisper his eyes met hers and he could feel that familiar spark light inside of him. He could almost groan in frustration.

Sensing the unease in her angelic voice, Troy pressed against her, letting his head fall to her shoulder, his lips tickling her ear. "Are you afraid?" This triggered her senses. He was taunting her, testing her. Gabriella knew that she could do the same to him.

"Never."

He could vividly remember the last time one word had awakened some kind of monster inside of him…but it was involving something completely different…painful.

_"Bolton."_

_"Danforth."_

_Their glares intensified as they lined up midcourt, ready for the ball to drop. Who would gain possession? Well, that was up for grabs._

_"You think you can handle the heat?" Zeke Baylor taunted for the side opposite of Troy, trying to get in his head._

_"No he can't handle it," another wildcat mumbled._

_Troy could barely hear his own teammates stringing together reassurances to keep his sanity. It was times like these when Troy knew that words couldn't bring him down, no words could ever upset him, tear down his wall. At least that's what he thought._

_"He's going to __die," Chad drew out the word knowing that the very sound of the sentence was chilling Troy right down to the bone. His face ashen and pale white, looking as if he'd seen a ghost, Troy left the court, walking off, never even looking back._

Before he even came to senses as to what he was doing, Troy slammed his lips against hers, feeling her own lips respond to his with equal pressure and he knew she wanted it just as bad. Nibbling at her bottom lip lightly, Gabriella allowed him to fill the space in her mouth with his tongue.

Exploring each others mouths, tongues battling, Troy let out a low moan when he felt her suck lightly on his tongue. He let her hands go, only to pull her closer by her waist, keeping on hand there while the other slid to her hips. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Gabriella tugged at the small hairs on the back of neck, sending a shiver down his own spine. Pulling away abruptly, he had to make sure if this was real, if he hadn't fallen asleep in class and it was all simply a dream. Taking his thumb to her lips where his had just previously resided, he brushed it across her bottom lip.

Looking anywhere but into his eyes, Gabriella almost immediately regretted it. All should could wonder was how many? How many other girls did he do this with? How many times in his life had another girl allowed him to do this? Why couldn't she be the only one?

She shied away, turning her face to the side, leaving Troy to stroke her cheek with his thumb. "Brie."

When she turned her head the slightest bit, his eyes, those blue eyes, penetrated hers and she couldn't let herself turn away. She shook her head and this time, Troy let her go without protest.

"I'm sorry."

They were the only words she spoke before she left, leaving him in the dark without a single clue about what had just went on.


End file.
